African American Officials in the NCAA Tourney

[walter]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If you believe that I said, meant or even suggest that a determining factor is only about the race of the person, then you have not ever read anything I have said. I said no such thing. But just like anything, people are chosen at those levels for all kinds of reasons that no one can control easily.



You should apologize.

Just kidding, you not have to apologize, you are just mistaken. And I do not believe that the best of the best of the best is always chosen or given opportunities. And if you think that everyone accepts that the best are there based on the issues of race, then you have not talked too many of them at that level. Because I have been fortunate to talk too many at that level, they feel there is a problem. Now I do not work there, I do not know other than some arbitrary numbers which often do not tell the entire story.



I will say this. It is a common opinion that many Black officials are not competing against everyone, they are competing against each other. The numbers issue in my opinion is not just about the lower levels, not just the D1 level. The gatekeepers are not necessarily giving opportunities at the lower levels, not just the D1 level. If you cannot get to the D1 level without working a lower level college, of course the numbers at the higher levels are going to be skewed. In my opinion, that is probably a bigger issue than what Rose or this OP is bringing up. I have seen a lot of people that cannot work a hard high school game, work a lower level college playoff. I am sure if numbers and issue, that would reflect at that level.

Peace

I apologize ! I agree whole-heartedly with you that race should never be the sole determining factor. I also agree with your statement that there are people reffing at high levels that we have all seen struggle at much lower levels. Let's be honest, only the supervisors know what they are looking for and any number of factors go into that. I agree most with the statement I bolded (if I did it right ). As we know, the conference supervisors are the epitome of "the buck stops here" so they get final say in who gets a contract and who doesn't. As for the issue raised in the original post, the last thing I will say is none of us have seen the letter that was sent raising the question and none of us have seen the response, if any. Although I have learned a lot from this forum, a lot of supposition goes on without fact. We are not privy to all the facts on a lot of issues including this one. As for the make up of the crews, people at a lot higher levels are making those decisions for whatever the reason. That being said, I support anyone's right to question how those decisions are made.

As for me, race, creed, etc. should never be the sole determining factor in anything and I do not believe you have ever said it should.